


War of Hearts

by Ace_of_Butterfly



Category: Naruto
Genre: Betrayal, Conflict, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemy Lovers, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Rivalry, Tragedy, Tragic Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-24 01:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7488057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ace_of_Butterfly/pseuds/Ace_of_Butterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between the border separating their villages, Akemi Hakai and Sasuke Uchiha meet. They become nothing but clashing rivals with a sense of twisted friendship and perhaps something beyond those limits; alas, consequences, vile conducts and the spark of devastation seek for them. And a shinobi is a shinobi at the end of the day, as much as a kunoichi, and each lives to protect their village or to die trying.</p><p>
  <i>Bones sinking like stones, all that we've fall for homes, places we've grown</i>
  <br/>
  <i>All of us are done for.</i>
  <br/>
  <i>And we live in a beautiful world, yeah we do, yeah we do</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Oh, all that I know is nothing to run from </i>
  <br/>
  <i>Cause yeah, everybody here got's somebody to lean on.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**  
>  I started this story originally on Quotev but I moved here too. It's kind of AUish because I won't follow the Naruto plotline/storyline/arcs/events and instead I'll change and improvise many things to fit with my ideas. My inspiration came from the movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade and The Kouga Ninja Scrolls otherwise known as the anime Basilisk.  
>  _Theme song: Don't Panic - Clarity_

_There are no coincidences in life. What person that wandered in and out of your life was there for some purpose, even if they caused you harm._

___________________________________________

"Akemi-chan!"

"I'm busy, Yuriko! What do you want?"

"The Chikage wants to see you."

Ruby orbs halted before lifting to stare at the older girl; the wind passing by blew some of her hair over her shoulder, refreshening her skin.

"Why?"

"Do I look like I have any idea?" The lavender haired female chuckles, placing a hand on her hip as if scrutinizing the younger's form. "Come on, Akemi, don't act like Iga-sama is that scary. She's not."

"You didn't train under her wing nor did you live with her for most of your life." Akemi deadpans, dropping the basket of laundry on the ground after hanging a few more clothes to dry.

"Did you forget how she treats me? I feel like I'm a war soldier, not her granddaughter."

"Everything happens for a reason, Akemi-chan." Yuriko gives her a sympathetic smile. "You're the last Hakai from the main family. Not even my father can defy you or your grandmother, so in a sense you're bound to face a harsh fate..."

"Right." Akemi sighs rolling her eyes and picks up her katana.

"I'm going."

"Good luck! I'll take care of these clothes if you want." Yuriko waves, her indigo eyes following her cousin's figure. She receives a nod in return and just like that the young girl takes off torwards their village's center.

Akemi Hakai is your average girl with eyes the color of ruby stones and hair as red as blood; she keeps it long enough to pass her shoulders, some of it pulled into a semi high ponytail whilst the rest is waving free, her face framed by several bangs. She's simple in terms of clothing style, wearing a black sleeveless blouse and a pair of white shorts paired with black high thighs. The headband of her village is tied around her left upper arm, a red shawl like belt circling her waist and the pouch with kunais and other supplies is secured to it at her back, though another pocket full of shurikens is attached to her left thigh.

Living in Akegakure isn't everyone's dream and the girl is living proof of the allegedly persecuted area, aside from the fact she comes from a family with hate running through their veins and abilities against any remnants of good in what is the Village of Blood. The village is situated in a valley the sun is mostly weak because of the thick line of forest surrounding it from all sides. Due to its obscure ambient and the past of the village, many nations don't know of its existence, and some, whom heard of or saw it, often avoid any connection with the small, mysterious community; a long forgotten, rejected misfit of nature and society, that is Akegakure, and the one place secluded and closed off from most likely all the other ninja villages.

Except for Konoha.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I came to see you upon request, Iga-sama. I hope I'm not too late."

"Very well, Akemi. I have a mission for you, or should I say a merely difficult task."

The girl glances forward, meeting the old woman's deep carmine gaze. The kage of Akegakure, adressed to as Chikage otherwise, is her grandmother. The woman is well over her fifties, her faded scarlet hair half ashed from age, a strict and unforgiving air solemnly set on her stone cold features. Alike the village and the Hakai legacy she's crude and vindictive. Unfair even.

"I'm currently in a shortage of people and the sacred river by the border of our land was left unsupervised a hour ago. Unfortunately, I've sent the few remaining shinobi on missions so my last option would be you, as I don't like your cousin's ideals when it comes to such matters." Iga squints at the young female, as if daring her to decline her order or to conceive future failure.

"I understand, Iga-sama." Akemi grits her teeths secretly, nodding.

"Get there as soon as possible and don't leave untill two of our ninjas return to take over. If any foreign shinobi ventures around, you know what to do."

"Yes, Chikage-sama."

"Good. You may leave."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The scenary blurrs by like a film of speed, Akemi's feet flying from tree to tree with chakra infused leaps and sprints. Increasingly, the closer she got to their village's river the aspect of the forest proved to be different, the shadowed greenery of the trees transcending to autumn lookalike red leafs and branches.

Aka no Shi is no ordinary river. As seen in the change of the forest area, its name has origins within the shade of the leafs above it and from older events in time, ever since Ake was founded and prospered to fall in ruins and despair later on. The most notable detail about it, however, is that Aka no Shi is the barrier between Akegakure and Konohagakure, serving as the separating border of the two neighboured villages.

"Damn." Akemi mutters in her fastened rush, sensing an unknown trace of chakra by the stream at the east side where Aka no Shi faces Konoha's distant horizon. "Someone's here."

Not long after the kunoichi comes to a halt, perched on a high tree, and watches a stranger whose silhouette is knees deep sunk in the water of the other river side, hands drip dropping of the cold liquid he brings to his mouth to drink. Blind shock lights on Akemi's face and without thinking twice she jumps forward, landing on one of the stones from the stream leaking into the river.

"You're not allowed to step in this river, let alone drink from it! Stop!" She hollers, infuriated, indignated and disturbed by the misconduct he's done against Akegakure's law, all at once.

The male shows no sign of surprise at her sudden interference, clearly letting her know he's sensed her way before; then, slowly and nonchalantly his visages turns in her direction, the water in his palms fallen back in its damned, endless source.

Her knowledge is something she may be proud into at times and right now Akemi is greatful for reading all sort of history scrolls; she hasn't met him before and she's not familiar with this guy but by the looks of his crimson sharingan she recognizes his nature as an Uchiha right off the bat. Which means that the ignorant shinobi adorning no headband and a mixture of clothes donning a grey shirt together with dark pants and a mild touch of Otogakure fashion is, or was, a Leaf ninja.

"Konoha shinobi or those who don't live in our village are not permitted to taint Aka no Shi. Please step out of the water, you've commited a mistake already as it is." Her voice is menacing, fingers tightening on her katana, albeit not entirely rude.

"Why's that?" His reply has no interest whatsover, or atleast he conceals it, and despite her subtle demand of urgency the Uchiha makes no move to follow her commanding advice.

"You're steping in the same water where thousand of Akegakure people died in bloodbaths of war. You just drank from the same water on which we sail our dead clansmen in coffins made of boats. Aka no Shi is our sacred river, and a cursed one at that, might I add." Her eyebrows furrow, tone angrier.

"Leave. I'm not going to repeat myself."

"And if I don't?"

"Then, I'm afraid I'll have to force you to leave, stranger."

She's had enough of him. Uchiha or not, Akemi had to do what she had to, whether for the sake of her village's rules or because Iga's sadistic punishment would surely await her if she didn't take actions against him; so she did. As soon as the words were out of her lips the red head drew her sword and launched torwards the male at top speed, accelerating her dash with chakra. She anticipated having little to no chance against his sharingan and overall capabilities but with skills of her own and avoiding his eyes in case he wanted to play any genjutsu tricks on her, Akemi countered some of his attacks, all the while jumping from stone to stone, tree to tree, anything as long as her feet didn't touch the water.

He seemed vividly entertained by her combos, his neutral expression morphing in bits of other steely shades every now and then; where he used ninjutsu a few times, she struck in return with none. At this point the girl had a habit of engaging in taijutsu combined with the art of wielding her katana at a rapid pace and from the manner he tracked her intentions late by seconds, she guessed something. The Uchiha must've been exhausted, and not rested well or in good shape. Even by fractions difference, she could tell he's been sloppy, for a tad tiny bit which was what she needed as clandestine opportunity.

A few minutes flew by and Akemi wasted two clones. Chanelling chakra to her hand, she swung the blade in a brash, bold dance with his, wherein he gave up on throwing fire at her or chidori streams - as she avoided them at inches leverage - and took the alternative of dueling via swords. She was so very close to slicing a cut over his shoulder, when, suddenly, his own blade spiraled torwards her neck, forcing her body in a backwards arch, her limbs bent to evade its sharpness. And that's where everything went wrong.

"No-"

She gasps unwillingly once the chakra in the soles of her sandals vanishes accidentaly, her foot slipping off the stone. The girl lost balance and the unfortunate momentum of battle sent her reeling down into the river, the dark haired Uchiha hovering over her closer and closer, ready to deal her the final blow. A bad feeling churned in her stomach immediately, and Akemi stiffened at the splashing water she toppled onto; a scream rips out of her moutj from the stinging sensation overwhelming her eyes unexpectedly, and in that very moment of disorientation she looked up, right into twin sharingan.

Ruby irises stilled, gradual transformation absorbing the natural red in metalic like veins untill there was no more, the new glinting icy silver eyes piercing a direct stare into the Uchiha's.

"What the-" He didn't get to stab her, neither to electrocute her body with the lengthening chidori of his sword. Blood pushed up his throat like bile and his lungs felt as if magma burned them to smoke; every fibre of his internal organs stung in agony, a fervent cough of sanguine blothches spluttering on his lips and chin. The noirette's figure hunched to the side and tumbled over, dropping into the river, in and out of agonizing pain and consciousness.

"My kekkei genkai..." Akemi's eyelids squeeze shut, letting the waves of furious water to splash onto her mercilessly. She was lost and enraged of herself, and moderately concerned for the now injured man whom she hurt thru the ability of her eyes. This was the nightmare of the Hakai clan reborn for the last time.

"No, no, no..." she hisses bitterly, tears of blood coursing from the corners of her eyelids. Defying the odds, she limps her way on her feet and jumps on the edge of stones by the stream, her eyes shut. As quick as her current blind state and shaky conditions aid her, Akemi does hand seals, her eagle summon, Sei, appearing.

"Iga-sama won't be pleased to see this, you reckless girl." The bird scorns.

"Please, Sei, don't add fuel to the fire. I hate my clan. I hate these eyes, now..." She sighs. "Take this guy and drop him by the gates of Konoha. Hurry up."

Without hesitation Sei grabs the ill Uchiha and flies off, to Konohakagure.

_"When a Hakai touches the water in the Aka no Shi river one of the two kekkei genkais of the clan are to be activated. Some are gifted with the Blood of Poison, others have the Eyes of Destruction."_

She couldn't have lived worst days than today. Her grandmother's voice rung in her head, her face haunting Akemi's mind too, especially as she kept her eyes closed, blood staining her cheeks.

The power that destroyed her mother's life had been reinvigorated into herself.


	2. II

_Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand._

_______________________________________

"Sasuke-kun...?"

His eyelids felt heavy, irises aching, the voice that was most likely close by echoing vaguely. The male found himself groaning as he stirred awake, regaining his cousciousness.

"Finally! You scared Sakura-chan, teme. When she saw you on the ground in front of the gates she was like Sasuke-kun this, Sasuke-kun that, oh my Kami, Sasuke-ku--"

"Naruto!" The pinkette screeches, giving him a half hard punch for good measure.

The dark haired male sighs to himself. Ofcourse returning to the Leaf means coming back to his ex teammates and their daily banter. Not that he can't tolerate it, though it still bothered him, but he certainly didn't want to appear from his renegade slash rogue run away troublesome times like this, in front of Konoha, vomiting blood on the brink of death thanks to a freak.

"Sasuke-kun, what happened? You suffered from internal bleeding... it was awfull. I nearly thought I couldn't heal you..." Sakura trails off.

"Internal bleeding?" He repeats, distant as usually. Obviously, that made sense. The red haired girl, the river. Her eyes.

"You forgot to tell him about his organs, Sakura. The other nurses said his organs were mashed to bloody pulps." Naruto joins in.

"Oh yeah, that too. So...?"

"Nothing happened." Sasuke retorts, keeping the details for himself. Naruto, despite Sakura's calmness to his answer, wasn't having it. He launched forward and grabbed Sasuke by his shoulders.

"Spill it. No one is allowed to kill my bestfriend, but me, heard that teme?!" He proudly yells in the Uchiha's face.

"Get off, Naruto." His same old same bored tone defies the other's outburst, pushing him away.

"Naruto, stop it! He needs to rest more." Sakura glares, snatching the blonde to the side.

"How are you feeling, Sasuke-kun? You should be fully recovered in a day or two."

"Fine." came his reply.

"Good!" The girl smiles.

"There's a ton of trouble waiting once you're out of here, teme." Naruto roars with a short laughter.

"Kakashi said you'll have to go through the tribunal and then might spend a little while in prison before getting released and set on probation. Well, I did talk with Lady Tsunade and tried bribing the others with big words but that's about all I can do."

He frowns, barely, his concerns flying somewhere else.

"What about my brother?"

"He didn't get it any easier, if not worse, honestly. But Kakashi, again, was the one to convince half the bunch of higher ups to pardon him. Because of Danzo and the truth about the massacre, all that." Naruto nods.

"Lady Tsunade needed a squad of reliable, powerful ANBU for a mission and not many of those were well experienced for what she had in mind. She was hesitant, like really, really hesitant, though Kakashi sensei nailed it and made her pick your brother to partake in that mission. He was on probation for a week and soon after reinforced into the ANBU with an emergency order." Sakura continues.

"I see." Sasuke slumps back into the pillows of the hospital bed, somehow relived with the news. After he's heard everything right from the older Uchiha his murderous, veangeful furry took a sharp turn; it costed him quite the time, effort and nerves to press the matter but in the end he did it. Then, to finish his road of revenge on the right path he went after Danzo, killing him.

"I'm hungry so I'm gonna go grab some ramen! Seeya later, teme. Oh wait-" Naruto ponders by the door. "Sakura-chan, want to come?"

"First of all, for goodness's sake Naruto, get a break from ramen! And secondly, can't. I have some patients to deal with."

"Let the dobe be a dobe. You can't cure him of ramen addiction. Hn." Sasuke smirks, closing his eyes.

"I heard that!" The golden haired male yells from outside.

"So.. uh.. I'll let you rest some more, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura smiles to herself, a bit shy to be alone with him.

"If you need anything get a nurse to inform me, okay?"

He doesn't bothers voicing a reply, nodding. The female returns the gesture with a nod of herself, exiting the room.

As soon as silence embraced the Uchiha his mind drifted off to somewhere he didn't quite like nor enjoy going through, recalling the events of yesterday. Although, he admited that girl did a number on him, surprisingly, with whatever her ability could be. He tried so hard to search his head of any pieces of knowledge, to get to find an answer to her mysterious technique but nothing worked. Maybe he's been caught in a genjutsu of the sort; or maybe--

A cawing crow snapped him out of his mental investigation, landing on the window's sill. Sasuke glanced over, eyebrows furrowing at the scroll hung from the bird's beak.

"Itachi..." he realizes in a whisper, the crow dashing to drop the scroll in his hand, disappearing afterwards.

_You are truely foolish, Sasuke. I suppose you have no idea of the Hakai clan and their powers, do you? Read and learn._

How could he forget about Itachi's summons? He can know any of Sasuke's moves even in his sleep, and the note in between the younger's fingers sounded nothing close to lenient.

_Akegakure Scrolls: The Hakai Clan_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Iga-sama, please!"

"Do not plead for her, Yuriko. I believe she has a little explanation to do before anything."

"That can wait, surely. How can you let your granddaughter endure blindness for such petty happening?!"

"She? Blind?" Iga laughs coldly. "Don't exagerate, Yuriko. She's reffusing to control and master her own kekkei genkai. Because she's always rejected the fact that, someday, the Ginshugan will be awakened into her."

"I can't heal it. I won't." Akemi hisses, pushing Yuriko's hands off when her cousin tries to unfold the bandages around her head.

"I will not heal you." Iga watches the stuborrn girl with disdain.

"Unless you tell me why, and how, you managed to activate it."

"I fell. I slipped. I wasn't focused and plunged into the water of the river, that's how."

"When will you get it, stupid child?! You can't lie to me!"

"It's the truth!"

"Akemi." Iga mutters dangerously. "I'm going to say this one last time. It's either you tell me what happened or I won't heal your eyes and I will leave you with no choice but forcing yourself to overcome the ginshugan's first stage of side effects. Are we clear?"

"Akemi-chan..." Yuriko squeezes the younger's shoulder. "It can't be that bad..."

She sighs. Snatching the bandage off her face harshly, Akemi turns her head torwards Iga, blood crusted eyelids cracking open, vision unfocused.

"Someone was at Aka no Shi when I got there, steping and drinking water from it. He didn't leave after my reasoning so I attacked him. It turned out to be a failure and I ended up dropping into the water by accident."

Once the words left her lips, the girl felt pulsing chakra touching her eyelids, the pain in her orbs vanishing. By the time her eyes opened fully she only stole a few glimpses of her grandmother's fingers, coated in green chakra which retracted, and the unblinking gaze of strictness.

"You are sentenced to watch over Aka no Shi for as long as I'll decide, not only two days, now. Take it as the light side of punishment." The chikage thundered with her stern voice.

"Regardless, in three days you are to accompany me to one of the nine shoguns's residence."

Akemi stiffened, astonished. "Why...?"

"Out of the Country of Fire Akegakure and Konohagakure were selected for the shinobi tournament. You will represent us so do your best and don't shame our clan ever again."

"I won't..." she supresses years of bottled up anger, wearing the same mask of neutral acceptance.

_"The world is cruel, Akemi. And we all are weapons. Remember that."_

Yet, she still denied it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_The Hakai clan originated in the mountains of Zukigao. There, at some point in time, their land was discovered by a strong military force, sent by an emperor, whose enormous amount of soldiers could not raid all of the Hakai, albeit destroying their village massively._

_The survivors traveled on and on, somewhere between the spark of war stumbling upon Akegakure, the village where they settled right from its foundation, as well as venturing into battle, next to Konoha._

_However, the Hakai clan posesses powers deemed atrocious - reason why they were persecuted over the years - specifically reffering to one rare kekkei genkai, or rather dojutsu. The big majority of the clan were born with the less deadly bloodline limit, the Suigin, or Veins of Living Silver: a kekkei genkai which enables them to be natural poison specialists. Silver colored poison flows within their veins and they're able to breathe poison at enemies, or poison them with a kiss - mostly famous amongst the Hakai females._

_The second kekkei genkai, manifesting in very few of the Hakai and more accurately only in girls coming from the main family branch, is their most powerful bloodline limit, their eyes which possess a deadly dojutsu called the Ginshugan - Silvered Blood Eyes otherwise known as The Pupil of Annihilation or Eyes of Destruction, being able to completely incapacitate an opponent with one glance, the victim's body experiencing fatal damage to the vital organs, internal bleeding and major fractures of the bones, therefore causing exact yet excruciatingly prolonged death. In addition, the ginshugan is capable to neutralize the techniques and special abilities of any ninja who meets its stare directly, but only through eye contact. This power is constantly in effect and has the potential to affect both enemies as well as allies since most ginshugan posessors may or may not be in unbalanced harmony with their emotions, something they must master or they will end up using their dojutsu without even realizing._

_The Ginshugan was meant to complete the great dojutsu list, alongside the three most powerful ones: the Sharingan, the Rinnegan and the Byakugan. Alas, prior to the nine nations shoguns banning the Hakai clan from achieving a well known reputation amongst the shinobi in fear that they will create war and devastation, it is instead seen as a curse._

_No technique, kekkei genkai or jutsu can withstand the ginshugan once caught in its line of sight directly except for the sharingan, rinnegan and byakugan which can alleviate and lessen the Eyes of Destruction's effect, though not entirely._

Sasuke didn't know how to feel after he's read so much. Perhaps lucky, since he escaped with internal bleeding only, and not death, because of his sharingan. It felt frustrating to think that girl bears capabilities she might not even get the hang of it, like a meaningless, unworthy person given a rare, priceless gemstone.

_The Hakai clan has later on taken control of Akegakure and is--_

"Sasuke?"

"Kakashi." The Uchiha acknowledges, tucking the scroll under his arm.

"Naruto told you about the court and probation ordeal, right?" The grey haired man stands in the doorway. At Sasuke's nod he speaks again: "Looks like something came up and we'll have to postpone. Tsunade received a mandatory invitation from the Ryuuzen residence. Someone will be needed to represent Konoha, well not Naruto, and our best choices narrowed down to you, so in three days you're going there."

"What for?"

"Shinobi demonstrations in front of the Volcano Nation's shogun, the Kazan."


	3. III

_Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable._

_______________________________________

"This is it, Ryuuzen-sama. The best of the best from the Fire Country."

"Hmm, tell me, Koniro, who are they?"

"There." The nobleman pointed torwards the right side of the spacious courtyard in front of the shogunate's castle.

"Lady Tsunade, Senju Tsunade, is the Hokage of Konohagakure. The young man behind her is one of the last Uchihas."

A pause follows as the white haired, old shogun nods. His attention trails at the bamboo separators set in front of people to divide them temporary from the open space in the middle where the demonstrations will take place. Lastly, he casts his stare on the other side, scrutinizing the second gathering from up above where he stood at the high castle balcony.

"And there it is Lady Iga, of the Hakai clan, the Chikage of Akegakure. The girl beside her is her only granddaughter."

"Very well." The old man folds his hands behind his back, sighing at the mention of the Hakai name.

"Give them the order to start."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Will I fight someone from a shinobi village or...?"

"No. You're going to simply deal with some excelently skilled men of the Kazan. Samurai, if you will, though they do have their impressive agility and advantage of swordmenship at ease."

Akemi nods, staring ahead at the wooden wall like separators the shogun's noblemen planted in front of them. She couldn't see who might be on the other side and eventho she was dying of curiousity, her grandmother reffused to tell her about the other summoned village. Bored, she glanced around and once her head lifted to stare upwards, she met the squinting stare of the Volcano Nation's shogun, the old Ryuuzen whose vision intently waited for the duels to ensue.

Similar to the rank of Kage among the shinobi, the Shogun are considered to be the most powerful samurai in their districts. Unlike the Kage rank, the Shogun rank is hereditary, passed from father/mother to son/daughter, although usurpation has been known to have occurred. Collectively, they are known as the Nine Shogun, Kokoshogun. The passing of the title of Shogun typically occurs when a son or daughter challenges the parent holding the Shogun title, though instances where a non-family member has challenged the Shogun.

The Shogun oversee their respective nations and are all considered to be equals in the eyes of the other Shoguns. Shoguns typically organize their countries and manage their land's political scenes. The Nine Shogun are: Tetsushogun of the Land of Iron, Fubukishogun of the Land of Blizzards, Kazanshogun of the Land of Volcanoes, Arashishogun of the Land of Storms, Morishogun of the Land of Forests, Kyokokushogun of the Land of Canyons, Hankyoshogun of the Land of Echoes, Tatsumakishogun of the Land of Tornadoes and Seishinshogun of the Land of Spirits.

"Why didn't you take Yuriko here instead of me? Her poison kekkei genkai is pretty cool." Akemi whispered to Iga.

"You do know Yuriko's character, right?" The woman remains unbothered, appearing neutral.

"Uh, yeah. Does this has to do with the fact that she hates to kill?"

"Precisely."

"What makes you think I'm different, grandmother?" Akemi challenges, frowning.

"Oh, you are. Trust me." Iga smirks without sparing her a glance.

"I'll never be like you, not to that extent." The young girl spats in return.

"Never is not valid in most cases, Akemi. Just like forever does not exist."

"How can you-"

The kunoichi's angered tone was instantly ruptured by the obnoxious sound of multiple feet moving about, and finally, several men carried the bamboo panels aside, revealing...

"Konoha?!" Akemi hissed, seeing clearly the blonde Hokage seated in the far opposite side. "You promised to avoid going against Konoha ever since...dad died..."

"It was the Kazan's choice, not mine." Iga shrugs. "We are not in conflict with Konohagakure, as of now, it's just a demonstration of skill. We shall see..."

The red head watched a man dressed in royal robes walk in the middle, holding a scroll. She allowed her gaze to wander at the other group, trying to recognize faces if there would be any to--

Surprisingly, she did reminiscence one. Right behind Lady Tsunade, void of any readable expression, was the Uchiha she stumbled upon at Aka no Shi. He didn't seem to notice her and Akemi had yet to hear his name being announced, she assumes.

"Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure." The man in the middle read out.

"You may begin."

Silence settled upon everyone, the sole source of noise being Sasuke's steps. Soon enough the inner gates of the castle squawked open and a hoard of men with swords rushed through, quickly getting in a circling formation. The Uchiha stationed in the center, barely casting his future attackers a stare.

A holler of assault echoed and Akemi witnessed the scene with curiousity just as all the samurai sprinted torwards Sasuke at top speed, blades slicing at the air. The dark haired male made no move, untill the sharpness of a sword inched his shoulder, ready to slash him but...

"Where did he go?!" A man yelled once the Uchiha vanished from sight at a blinding pace. A strangled gurgle of blood followed and the others saw the Uchiha retriving his katana from the guy's chest in a blurr. His orbs flicker to the signature sharingan and the first line of assailants were thrown backwards in a flurry of screams and groans of pure pain without the slightest touch.

"He's making use of genjutsu. Good." Iga comments.

"I guess he had no intention to play fair and square." The girl crosses her arms, continuing to watch.

"You should do the same."

"What?"

"Use your eyes. Show them the power of the ginshugan."

"No." Akemi snaps quitely, disregarding the Chikage's demand completely, no longer fearing the concept of disobedience.

The number of samurai lessened, most of them having been taken down by Sasuke's genjutsu in a heap of traumatized, unresponsive victims still caught within whatever horrifying images he's locked them into. Around five lingered and let out a cry of battle, launching in Sasuke's direction. Marching a step back he brought his hand up halfway, essence of crackling lightning thundering in the palm of his hand in increasing growth, then chanelling itself in his sword, lengthening.

"Chidori!"

His movements proved to be calculated for the five guys were pierced by the fast technique one after another, in a straight line. Their bodies collapsed on the ground loudly, the last of the chirping lightning of the chidori fadding.

"Akemi Hakai of Akegakure, it is your turn."

Alike how the girl kept her gaze on Sasuke earlier, now the roles switched. It took him awhile to recall who she is but once he did the Uchiha's orbs focused on her, wondering if she'll activate her dojutsu or not.

"I'm going to do this my way, not grandma's." Akemi muttered to herself with a smirk, unfazed by the armed guys hurrying to corner her from all sides, hurling in battle at once. She saw two of them coming at her equaly close by and the kunoichi leapt up in the air, the unfortunate men killing each other at the same time. Akemi jumped over the shoulder of another and pivoted on the ground again. An incoming samurai dashed at her and when she bent to the left, he stumbled forward at full speed, colliding in a fellow enraged guy, blades piercing themselves mutually.

"Stupid girl." Iga huffed, slapping her fan on the table under her hands. She didn't expect Akemi to turn out as troublesome as her cousin Yuriko, working the battle ground in her favour as to avoid staining her hands with blood and instead let the enemies blindly finish each other.

Akemi's feet traced the ground hastily, chakra accelerating her ministrations. Numerous others faced the same fate, distracted and lurched into death one after another at the mercy of their own reckless actions. However, the girl chose to spike her simple strategy up seeing as only a small amount of them were still alive.

A katana flew by her head, inches distance; that was her signal. Before those surrounding her could run further Akemi flung her leg upwards, knocking the katana out of the man's hold, the shiny metal reflecting up in the sky. Speeding up her doings, she sprung high up, her sandals making contact with the edge of the lower roof of the castle, flipping herself backwards and landing perfectly on the firm surface in a few blinks. Just as rapidly as everything happened her hands waved together, fingers forming her prepared seals.

"Fuuton: Ashinaki no Jutsu!"

The men down on the ground were suddenly hit by a spiraling blast of wind, the force of the blowing attack slamming them in all paths after momentarily rounding their bodies in a tornado like hurricane. Some had been brutally hammered against the huge gates of the residence, others left a dent in the walls of the bottom part of the castle prior to the powerful gust of wind kicking them into it, although all died nonetheless, dropping limp and bloodied. And then, at last, the katana Akemi had sent reeling in the air came crashing from above, fixated with its tip downwards thru its collision, the travel from height no longer than the time she wasted to finalize her demonstration. It met the dirt with natural gravity, stabbing itself in the soil next to the fallen samurais alternatively as Akemi jumped off the first floor roof, the stern eyes of the shogun at the third floor balcony tracking the scene.

"Thank you. Now please go with Kazan-sama's daughter, Toshina-hime, untill your kages will return. Lady Tsunade and Lady Iga must sign some papers." The nobleman announced. As if on cue, a girl around her mid twenties emerged forth, smiling in the midst of her gracious bow.

"Uchiha-san, Hakai-san, come with me."

Akemi didn't say anything and did as told. She caught glimpses of Sasuke at Toshina's left, as she's taken her right, both led inside the Ryuuzen residence by the older female.

"Uchiha-san, your genjutsu must be really something! In comparision with Hakai-san's attack, I enjoyed yours more."

"What?! My wind technique was so much better!" Akemi burst out, glancing at the male. He was smirking at her somehow, tho ignoring the two girls simultaneously.

"It was not! Do not say nonsense!" The princess snaps, her voice indignated.

"But-" Akemi starts, her mouth clapping shut on its own immediately.

_"Do not talk back or upset any of the shogun's elites, under any circumstances. If you do, to not mention if you kill any of them, not only will you be pursued but the Volcano Nation will also turn against your village. Don't forget they have shinobi of their own, allied and associated with their families, ready for war if need be."_

"Actually, nevermind." She grits, swallowing her intentions of speech. This is going to be one hell of a companionship, she guessed, with the stingy and annoying princess who--

"Poor choice of words." Sasuke adds out of nowhere, as matter of factly.

No, she had to count again. Make that two, thanks to the ignorant yet mocking Uchiha.


	4. IV

_Enemies don't fight with such determined passion. That kind of focus is reserved for friends at odds with one another._

____________________________________

"I hope the guest room is on your liking, Sasuke, is it?"

"It's good."

Akemi looked out at the beautiful garden of the Ryuuzen residence in total boredom - after they'd toured the entire zone till sunset - listening to the princess's conversation with the Uchiha. She could tell by the sound of Sasuke's voice that he's been somehow forcing himself to actually participate into Toshina's talk as to not drive her mad; at first he did just that when he barely threw her glances while the woman kept talking and for the sake of this preposterous event between the Kazan and their Kages - Akemi could bet - he decided to avoid getting on the noble female's bad side.

Toshina Ryuuzen was tall, gracious and cold in terms of posture, like the appearance of a venerated ice statue meant to demand honor and authority; her silver hair added to the glaciar air she wore herself with, and the dark recesses of her grey-blackish orbs. However, whilst she pulled that off entirely on Akemi, with Sasuke she seemed to bloom new shades. Maybe it was the fact she went from "Uchiha-san" straight to "Sasuke" without being told to, or perhaps it was due to the way she would steal glimpses at the dark haired male in an analysing, calculating manner, lowering her royal attitude a bit. Now, Akemi wouldn't be surprised if the older woman admired him, like most girls would do, but there was something hiding behind Toshina's actions; she could notice it, so very little. Yet, she couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was.

"The tea should arrive soon too." Toshina informed once they were seated in a large, traditional room of the place, her lips curling upwards. Again, Akemi noted her sudden change in character. She had no problem with remaining ignored by the older, whereas she only spoke to Sasuke and acted like the red headed girl didn't exist by their sides, though she did mind the princess's suspicious behaviour. She wondered just what could it be...

Sighing, eyebrows furrowed, Akemi took the cup in her hands after a maid brought their drinks, bringing the steaming tea to her lips. She was about to drink albeit something stoped her. The smell of the tea - her nose wouldn't allow her taste buds to get to it first because in that moment the kunoichi recognized the vague scent of...

"Don't drink that!" Akemi tossed her cup on the table in the midst of leaning over with urgency, slapping Sasuke's own tea out of his hands right the instant his mouth was dangerously close to the brim of the cup. The porcelain item flew across the room, spilling the warm liquid onto the tatami floor.

"What is wrong with you?!" Toshina's indignated yell causes Akemi to jump on her feet just as the Ryuuzen did, staring from Sasuke's half annoyed - half questioning expression to the other female's outburst.

"You put Hanadoku in the tea. The flowers of the Hanadoku tree are poisonous and when they're in full bloom they resemble the aroma of green tea, except, Hanadoku smells like sharp wooden scent to the striking similarity to green tea." Akemi gestures an accusatory finger, kicking the side of the low table with her foot.

"Most people wouldn't notice. I see you have a sharp nose that likes to shove itself where it does not concern you." Toshina smirks, picking up her red washi umbrella.

"Excuse me? You poisoned my tea, ofcourse it concerns me!" The red head scoffs. "Do you have any idea what plotting against us would bring along? Think about it. You're getting Akegakure and Konohagakure on your case."

"Oh no, that will not happen. Do you want to know why?"

"Wait, don't." Akemi held her hand up as Sasuke drew his sword, eyes never leaving Toshina. He gave her a side glance but stood still nonetheless.

"Shinobi are people who shouldn't exist to begin with. People like you will be the flicker of war, and if battle is to ensue who's to say our lands won't be destroyed. Thousands of lives will end and the shogun nations have decided to prevent such atrocities." Toshina begins.

"My father, the Kazan, cannot harm the Kages of your villages, unless he's willing to risk a major revolt amongst leaders of the nations; we can, however, deal with those like you, spawns, tools, and for that father covered up this ordeal with the pretext of being nothing but today's last test for you to pass. Surely, the Kages accepted, gambling your lives for the price of a political treaty." Toshina grins, pointing her umbrella at Akemi.

"My duty here in the Volcano Nation is to eliminate shinobi who are not allied with us and I will start with the two of you."

The second Toshina swung her umbrella to the side by the hilt - revealing that it was a thin sword sheated into the handle of the wagasa - the shoji doors were flug open and a hoard of masked men rushed in all at once. To Akemi's dismay they were not samurai; they were shinobi.

"What the hell?!" The kunoichi curses, seeing as their short distraction of being taken off guard ended up with both her and Sasuke encased up in what looked like an energy cage prior to the shinobi's seals.

"It's a chakra barrier." Sasuke stated, finally pulling his katana out.

"Well, then-" the girl tries punching through the chakra bars; to no avail. The chakra pulsed and it felt as though it would push against her pressure tenfold much. With a sigh she digs into her pouch, producing three kunai with explosive tags attached to them.

"You're going to blow yourself up." The male's hand catches her wrist, yanking her backwards.

"It's closing in." Akemi hisses at the chakra walls constricting in space. "I hope you have a better plan or so help me I will go ahead and use the tags!"

He says nothing and fixes the tip of his sword on the chakra wall. Soon enough the same strike of electricity like stream runs throughout his sword, piercing the wall; Sasuke maneuvers the sword around and cuts the roof of the cage too, pivoting a chidori right thru it, causing the top to falter and vanish.

"Redo the seal! Again!" Toshina hollers at the sight of Akemi and Sasuke jumping out of the fadding away chakra barrier, weapons ready to counter their assailants.

The shinobi clad in black from head to toe start moving their hands in the respective signs. Chakra branches like roots of trees sprout at Akemi's feet, climbing up to capture her.

"I don't think so." The girl shook her head and leapt to the side, evading the chakra. She threw kunais at some of the shinobi, killing them on the spot, twisting around to hit others or to bend down whenever an attacker aimed to kick. Every time she finished a man the powerful chakra roots on the ground evaporated more and more. Across the room Sasuke was no different, tracing from one ninja to another at blinding speed, blood splashing on the shoji doors where his sword slashed.

"Don't worry. I have more shinobi waiting outside." Akemi felt the tip of Toshina's sword rest on her shoulder from behind, paired with the princess' laughter, momentarily halting her movements.

"I don't care." The girl retorts, gripping the kunai in her hand.

"We'll see who laughs last."

Spinning around, Akemi deflected the woman's sword expertly, metal clashing against metal in continuation of their imminent collision. Toshina steps back, her blade swirling up; the kunoichi arched backwards to escape the slicing sharpness, flashing by the silver haired female. The shogun daughter's sword raced through, a clean cut impaling Akemi but...

"A clone?!" Toshina fumed. She sensed someone behind her, tho it was too late. Akemi's kunai stood inches distance from her throat.

"Hey, Sasuke, can you put Toshina-sama here under a genjutsu?"

"No. Kill her."

"That's what her family needs. A valid reason and the right to march at war against our villages - if I kill her, that is. I'm not going to give them that."

The Uchiha ignored her, simply sheating his sword. With a huff Akemi saw that Toshina was looking around for an escape route.

"Fine then. I guess this will do-" Akemi mumbles, hitting the back of Toshina's head; the woman dropped unconscious at her feet.

"Let's go."

"Go where?"

"Out of here."

She nods, following after him outside. Emerging in the courtyard the two shinobi come to a stop due to a sea of ninja surrounding them from all directions, some standing up on the roof of the castle, hands prepared in seals.

"We need to get to the gates before they close it!" Akemi whips around, glancing at the huge, massive gates of the residence which were pulled closed gradually.

Sasuke nods in return. Sprinting forward he uses his fire jutsu, spewing the fire ball at the ninja; the scorching heat radiated off into the aproaching darkness of the night, eliminating a good amount of attackers. Taking this as her cue, Akemi focuses on the gates instead. Accelerating her movements with chakra, the kunoichi dashes torwards the two shinobi guarding the gates; she's caught up in a minimal taijutsu style fight before she kills them.

"They keep on coming." Sasuke appears at her side as she slides thru the ajar gates, rushing into the field of forest. He could easly take them down if he were to really put effort into it, however, the Uchiha didn't quite feel like going to that extent. After all, this whole battle wasn't even worth it for in the end - even if he and Akemi didn't give their full interest in fighting - they would still win and--

"Move!"

Sasuke saw Akemi pushing him to the side unexpectedly, snapping him out of his thoughts. Looking behind him then he only comprehended a wheezing arrow flying in their direction - originally aimed at his back - taken instead by the girl recklessly. The arrow pierced her shoulder with rapidity, earning a wince from her.

"Damn-" Akemi cusses. A newly formed army of shinobi came running and eventhough she and Sasuke had a head start already, going through the forest like shadows more than mere running, the others would catch up. The arrow in her shoulder stung like crazy; she tried yanking it out although, due to being in a rush, the arrow broke at her forcefull pull instead, the tip left behind into her flesh.

"Sasuke."

"What?"

"Let's combine our attacks. Use a fire technique."

It crossed his mind - what she was getting at - mainly remembering Akemi's wind jutsu during the demonstrations. The Uchiha jumped up in the air, facing the incoming shinobi, hands weaving seals. Likewise, the female locked her fingers in her own seals, remaining on the ground.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Ball Jutsu!"

"Wind Style: Great Wind Blast Jutsu!"

Alternatively, when Sasuke's fire raided its path at high speed on the men bellow, Akemi held her hands up, the windy chakra of her jutsu traveling ahead in the form of a powerfull blast of wind. The wind hit straight into the fire, pushing it further forward and fueling its length and capability even faster, both elements knocking the army of shinobi backwards whilst they were burned on a long area for as farther as the wind propelled the fire in addition.

Landing back down, Sasuke took in the view of the damage; a large part of the forest had been burnt off, including the gates of the Ryuuzen residence, nearly burning too. Beside him he could tell something wasn't normally allright with Akemi. Despite wasting some of her chakra excessively, Sasuke could pick up the sudden paleness of her visage and the blood pouring on her shoulder and arm without ceasing.

"Come on." She waves spontaneously, running off. She could feel her body faltering, her shoulder numb yet heavy; her breath became irregular and before the red head could speed up more she stumbled on the ground, almost face planting on the dirt.

"This cursed thing-" she hisses, grabbing a kunai. Her grip shook for some reason, each time she attempted to fish the arrow spike out of her shoulder the tip of the kunai slipped off, or worse - she stabbed her skin a bit too hard accidentaly.

"You're a mess." Sasuke crouched at her level with a groan, slapping her hand away. Pressing the Hakai girl down - against her protest - he stared at the wound with narrowed eyebrows. The skin around the dripping hole had a red-purplish tint to it, and her blood didn't stop oozing as it should be after awhile. Honestly, Sasuke didn't care much about Akemi; in fact, he disliked her halfway. Alas, she cooperated with him against Toshina's ambush and even went as far as to risk receiving that arrow; whether he liked it or not - he tells himself - he must help her. It would erase any potential debt he owns her for, with the arrow inccident or maybe even back then at the beggining with the tea.

"Are you done?" She glares stuborrnly, cold sweat rolling on her face. Her eyelids were dragging to close and she couldn't move her arm by now.

Sasuke threw her a glance, neutral and fugitive. Snatching the kunai from her grasp, the male ripped her pouch off too, rummaging through it.

"That arrow was poisoned."


	5. V

_Companionship is a foreign concept to some people. They fear it as much as the majority of people fear loneliness._

_____________________________________

"That arrow was poisoned."

Suddenly, her mind goes blank, her body finally submitting to the induced tiredness grasping on to her from all sides. It made sense: the cold sweat, the way she couldn't feel her arm, the blood draining out of her skin on and on; who knows what type of poison that tip of arrow had been dipped into and how it'll affect her. Nonetheless, as her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she plunged over into the land of unconsciousness against her will, Akemi could only be restless upon one detail. Her well being had been left into Sasuke's hands, who the girl didn't trust enough to fully believe she'll wake up healthy or even...wake up at all. He could leave her there - dying at some point if possible - for all she knew.

Indeed, she was right. The Uchiha had half of mind to do just that but he already made his choice and as much as he viewed the current predicament as a lot more than annoying and troublesome, he was also determined to keep his decision intact.

Sighing under his breath, eyebrows furrowed, the male glanced at Akemi's unresponsive figure for a glimpse then proceeded to save her from the dangerous state she was in; if the poison managed to numb her entire arm as well as causing major blood loss in just a few minutes, he could only imagine what it'll do in hours.

To his luck - after he turned her pouch upside down to spill all the items inside on the ground since rummaging by hand proved to be hindering - Sasuke peers to a small bottle of antidote. He could tell it was of such nature from old memories during his missions with Naruto and Sakura back in the years - that minuscle bottle looked the same as those Sakura carried around. Regardless, the problem was he had no idea how exactly to use the liquid medicine to the wounded area, unless he thought of...

_"It's simple and easy, you should do well, I'm sure. So, if the antidote is green in color the patient must drink it; if it is yellow you'd have to apply it with chakra. Translucent purple, on the other hand, goes straight to the injured flesh, all you need to do is pour it there; the antidote will do its work as it contains disinfecting and healing properties and is already infused with chakra."_

Apparently, listening to Sakura's lessons torward newly enrolled nurses out of boredom when he left the hospital days ago came back to him in the form of help. That piece of information sorted his difficulties out. And so, without wasting any more precious time, Sasuke used Akemi's kunai to fish the arrow tip out of her shoulder with precision. He wasn't sure whether this dexterity belonged to his origin as Uchiha and their so called perfect accuracy in pretty much everything or...thanks to the morbid occasions in which he had nothing better to do aside from watching Orochimaru digging through someone's skin with a scalpel.

Pushing away whatever irritating or plain banal thoughts he entertained himself with, Sasuke finished his handiwork with the addition of the antidote, which true to its description rippled right through the bleeding gash as soon as it made contact with Akemi's flesh, visibly dealing with both the poison and the blood loss. Next he grabs the bandages that were within her pouch too and rolls it tightly around her wound, standing up.

Now, to leave her here or to stay? As much as he wanted to pick the first option, the shinobi, once again, opted for the second. If he did leave someone might find her and kill her considering they weren't too far from the zone where they attacked Toshina's ninja. Thusly, Sasuke gathered some wood, lighted up a quick fire with a mere fire ball and ploped himself down, his back supported by a tree. The moon had been up above for some hours and along the lines of thinking, stealing glances at the sleeping girl and staring into the flame of the fire, Sasuke fell asleep too.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The first thing Akemi felt when stirring awake was a dull ache in her shoulder. Eyelids parting, she heard herself groaning slightly at her own body regaining its awareness, fresh morning air carressing her face. By the time her orbs fluttered open completely she was welcomed with the sight of the still semi dark sky at its dawn through the canopy of trees, a few chirps of birds testing her previously dormant ears too.

"How..." she mumbles, thinking of a reason for her survival; obviously, the Hakai assumed Sasuke was nowhere near and the poison had been residing within her system for--

Wrong. She was wrong because the instant Akemi saw her shoulder and upper arm bandaged, and the ashes of a ceased fire, she understood the contrar reality. Eventho the Uchiha was missing from next to her momentarily she could feel his chakra at a close distance; leading herself through the forest, she follows it.

It turned out that farther from there a creek passed through the forest, gifting that area with a small course of water mingling through lone stones. Akemi faced Sasuke's back profile in the picture as he was seated up on the higher stones above the creek, seemingly staring at nothing in particular.

"I thought you left." She voices out honestly, going for the water gathered within the lower part of the creek. The red head bends to scoop some water in her palms to satiate her thirst before splashing some on her face.

"Hn." He shrugs and turns his head to the side as if ignoring her presence. From the corner of his eye Sasuke checks up on her in mere curiousity, noting her skin color no longer sickenigly pale and the wound on her shoulder doing much better once she unwraps the bandage to clean it with water.

"You know, come to think, I'm not surprised of what happened yesterday." Akemi kept talking, not really caring if he listened or not.

"I don't know about Tsunade but my grandmother wouldn't quite give a damn if Toshina got our heads on a plate. Or atleast mine."

"Why's that?" Sasuke gave in to the same curiousity, remembering her valuable kekkei genkai and the old woman who looked nothing close to aproachable. Aside from everything about Akemi - which he might or might not dislike - he'd been captivated solely by her clan and her dojutsu. He wanted to know more.

"My village kind of hates me for being the Hakai's heir. They tend to push the loss of my mother and father on my back often." She shrugs, looking around after she was done with the water.

"People there would rather get rid of me than having me return and grandmother sees me as a tool, for my kekkei genkai. If she could have my power she'd gladly dispose of me." The kunoichi adds in the middle of stripping a bush of its fruits out of lack of occupation, managing to fill both hands with the ripe blueberries.

Sasuke is giving her silence and though to others it would sound awfully annoying she's instead greatfull; leave it at that, she neither likes nor hates to speak about her position in Akegakure tho she leans on neutrality. She retreats to where he's seated afterwards, gesturing to hand him half of the blueberries; he, however, regards her with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Don't worry, I'm not Toshina. If I want to damage your stomach I'm not going to poison you, I'll just stab you." Akemi smirks, retracting her hand at his stingy glare to enjoy the offered blueberries by herself.

Quitness fell upon them again. Akemi blamed it on Sasuke but she admited to shuting up on purpose herself; she settles on sitting at his side two stones distance, eating the forest fruits. Untill he broke the silence with something she wasn't fond of speaking about...

"What happened to your parents?"

The Uchiha trailed her stiff behaviour lazly, conspiring over the fact he's been granting his interest to find out more about her clan free liberty.

"My father-" Akemi attempts to mask her frown by throwing the last blueberries in her mouth to quickly eat them, grimacing. "He died in a revolt of the sorts. Part of the land on the other side of Aka no Shi was ours but Konoha wanted it. Let's just say he and other clansmen fought tooth and nail for that but it ended badly, ofcourse. That's why your village has those lands now." She slipped in a mild scoff, earning her a side glance from him.

"My mother is a different story." Her words flow quiter, eyes flashing on a flame akin to hate mixed with sorrow.

"Just like me she had the same kekkei genkai: the Ginshugan. Awhile back in the years a strange man found refuge in Akegakure and we never figured he was secretly tracking her down. When he kidnapped her for her power - he wanted to make experiments and copy her ability through DNA - mother killed herself on the way to his lair."

"Who?"

"Orochimaru."

"He's dead." Sasuke states flatly.

"Such a pity..." Akemi seems suddenly disappointed. "I was planning to personaly execute him someday." She shrugs, commenting in a failing joke: "Oh well, so be it. If I ever meet the one who killed him I might thank the person and give him or she a reward too, hmm."

"Then you should thank me. I killed him." Sasuke smirks, displaying arrogance and confidence that jabs at her capability level, indirectly trying to label her dream of revenge as unachievable since he could bet Akemi against Orochimaru would've turned in misery for her.

"You, huh?" The red haired female crosses her arms, shaking her head.

"I'd rather face plant through a tree than to thank you."

"..."

"Because you seem like an asshole from time to time who doesn't deserves a thank you."

"Fair enough." His features twitch in amusement for a fraction, vague for her to even register it.

"What about your shoulder?"

"This? It's called returning the favour. I saved you from that arrow so you must've sacrifficed some decency to bother saving me from the poison in exchange. Fair enough, yes." Akemi grins and leaps up in a tree, sprawling against a taller branch which can be a potential pillar for her back to lean on; the morning light arose more and more, morphing the tranquil atmosphere of dawn in the coming sunrise of full awakening over the surroundings.

"Does your village cares about you?"

It was Sasuke's turn to ponder onto what to reply. Judging by Konoha's villagers and their distrust, suspicion and endless disdain directed at him and Itachi it was evident the Uchiha is not the adored Naruto Uzumaki, the admired Sakura Haruno or the respected Kakashi Hatake. He was all bellow and nothing.

"I doubt."

"Why?"

With his expression hardening between usual blankness and temporar gloominess, Sasuke stands up and walks to enter the thick forest side, not even looking at her.

"Years ago I ran away to train under Orochimaru. Later on I was going to kill my brother if it weren't for finding out the truth with my bestfriend's help. That and I killed a political man who nearly proclaimed himself Hokage. Now, both me and my brother returned to Konoha but the clueless, judgemental people think what they think: once a rogue, allways a rogue."

Akemi arches an eyebrow at his almost coldly sarcastic tone, nodding to herself. This was the most he could talk - she guessed - and although the ravenette had been short and cryptic, she was satisfied with the revelation. But now that their conversation died down, Sasuke was taking his leave and Akemi shifted about an idea she's got for some minutes ago. It wouldn't hurt to give it a shot, afterall, they were rivals by default, water and oil, despite their minimal interaction. It had to provide motivation for the both of them.

"Wait-" she calls, jumping off from the tree and landing right in front of him. His lips thin themselves in a line, probably not in the mood to stick in her company any longer, albeit his gaze locks with hers, questioningly.

"Let's spar."


	6. VI

_Intuition is the highest form of intelligence, transcending all individual abilities and skills._

______________________________________

"Let's spar."

Akemi could grasp the concept of vivid interest lighting up in Sasuke's emotionless orbs; his dull expression didn't change at all yet he still gave away the small trace in front of her to which she offered the ghost of a grin, raising an eyebrow. On second thought, when he gave her an once over, as if measuring her from head to toe with his gaze, Akemi felt annoyed. She guessed his reaction to be one of understimating her potential right off the bat. She did not like that.

"So?" Her question turned impatient at his prolonged debate.

"Let's." came Sasuke's reply, the smirk passing over his features escaping the girl's scrutinity; she simply nods, huming.

"But." The Hakai starts, bringing her hand up. "No ninjutsu, genjutsu, tricks or our eye power." Akemi lists on her fingers.

Sasuke complied and tossed his sword to the side on the ground; whilst she took a fighting stance, he merely acknowledged her posture, waiting. That was a sign of invitation, he let her attack first.

The female sped up, dashing at him fastly. Her fist came aiming for his face only to be dodged by Sasuke's joined hands, jumping out of her way by the time she brought her foot up in a sickeningly quick blow. Akemi almost rolled her eyes at his nonchalant attitude and sprung torwards the Uchiha again, giving him no break. Leaping high in the air she jumped over him and landed behind, leg swinging to level with the side of his head; Sasuke's fastness raced through in return, the male bending to avoid the hit before deflecting another punch.

"If you stay on the defensive longer you'll bore me to death." Akemi snickers, readjusting herself to face the noirette.

That seemed to elicit enough motive to actually attack and Sasuke ran to her in a blink, ready to slam her against a tree with a hard kick. Akemi's orbs widened the slightest but she managed to pull aside in the last moment. She met him halfway in an exchange of colliding forearms and strategic close rage combat, the forest ground thumping under their feet with each step they marched forward, backwards and to the sides in a swirl of agility.

"Weak and slow." Sasuke mutters when he catches Akemi's arms in a hold that causes them to be face to face.

"If you ever have students training under you I'll feel sorry for them. You're going to bring their moral down with your arrogant lies, sensei." She snorts, a smirk painting her lips. Akemi strikes him with her knee, grazing his stomach since he didn't retract in the exact nick of speed to evade it entirely; this proved her point. He was just trying to irritate her.

"You talk too much." The Uchiha sends her a plain glance of annoyance, beelining back into her direction. The kunoichi twists away inches distance from his fist, having to deal with a few other extra fast hits that went from all angles, meant to disorient her.

"Try to land a punch on me. I already got you in the stomach."

"Barely."

Akemi gasps involuntarily when Sasuke's foot slips under her knees expertly, swiftly knocking her on the ground; she can only roll to the side frantically due to his fist coming at her from above. Leaping up again, the Hakai lifts her leg in a circular motion, making for his neck. Sasuke smirks and lets her do so, grabbing her ankle in the midst of her closely aproaching assault whilst her body is suspended in mid air; he then hurls her to his left, throwing the red head in a tree.

Akemi groans, lifting herself from the ground. Plastering a challenging grin on, she brushes her shoulders off from splinters of wood which luckly didn't pierce through her back.

"Don't be too smug, Uchiha. That was just warming up." She shrugs at another smirk of his, positioning her arms in front of her slowly, knees slightly bent and hands fixed up in a firm stance, straight and typically taijutsu style yet calculatingly relaxed.

The ravenette took his chance to test her full on, flashing in a showdown with her way too quickly, his elbow aiming to drive a punch in her gut. Suddenly, Akemi smirks, leaning her weight to the side whilst rotating in a half circle, therefore avoiding any damage. What Sasuke had to deal with next was a flurry of hand movements racing at lightning pace, her skilled ministrations almost tiring his eyes out without the sharingan. He could fare well against it, ofcourse, though he still narrowed his orbs at the kunoichi's combinations; she moved with grace and tact, however, a hair's breath away from the nearing punches the Uchiha could somehow detect the force they harbored.

He was good - that Akemi could admit any day at this point. Back in Akegakure she's known as one of the medium best at taijutsu - except for her cousin, Yuriko, who surpassed her surprisingly - yet here she was straining her entire reserves of talent to try her hardest into nicking him with a punch, a kick, even a small push - anything. Eyebrows knitting, the shorter female watched his every dodging response and infiltrating attack with tactical care, seeking out an opening, a weakness if possible; it seemed as though she'd fight him for hours or--

There it was, an opportunity. Too distracted into focusing to successfuly strike her Sasuke left himself vulnerable for a fleeting fraction. That was everything she needed.

Before he could take on defense again after advancing forward, the dark haired male feels the impact of a double hit onto his chest prior to a swinging flicker of the wrists and a change of spontaneous coordination, both of Akemi's palms slamming against it with enhanced strength and speed.

"We're even as of now I'd say. Let's see where it takes us from here." Akemi stands her ground, lowering her guard momentarily as Sasuke casts her a cold stare in courtesy of stumbling backwards a step.

The following clashing turned out to be mindless. Whether Sasuke decided to spike up his doings for real instead of slacking off or he grew furious from her assault, Akemi couldn't figure out. One thing was for sure, both reffused to treat their current confrontation as strictly sparing from that round onwards - less intentionaly and more instinctively. They became feral enemies fueled to smash one another into a bloody mess within a span of seconds.

A grimace crosses Akemi's face when Sasuke's fist brushes her cheek with pressure, having pulled apart a milimeter too late. Her limbs might or might not need some temporar rest and the constant alternative she must traverse between trying to anticipate his choice of blows and unleashing her own accurately drain the Hakai of energy little by little. Has it been seventeen minutes? More? Who knows, they could go at it for hours perhaps.

Leaning backwards to spare his visage from an incoming forearm, Sasuke brings his foot up in a roundhouse kick only to have it - disappointingly - countered with her leg. Raging on in fastness, he finally catches Akemi by the shoulder amidst her open posture, his fist ramming into her stomach with a pleasant twitch of his lips upwards.

Coughing out an unwillingly sharp breath upon the hittching thud against her abdomen - it was a miracle she didn't spit some blood too - the girl's gaze makes contact with his, glaring. He got her there alright, but she still had a long way to go before giving up; or rather she'd pick to fight till she collapses instead of giving up. This initiation was for crossing the boundaries of sparing.

"Fine, I'll play your game, bastard." She scowls grasping his arm as soon as he tried pulling away. Appearing to twist his wrist, Akemi applies enough strength to do it though it was a distraction, to get Sasuke occupied. He fell for it, his other arm swinging to strike her from her right. Akemi - who calculated the outcome of this already - sidesteped and held his arm captive, using the momentum of his failed hit to drive her elbow up against his jaw in a quick uppercut, her foot lifting to push onto his stomach with a kick too.

Once again Sasuke found himself stumbling behind, an ache numbing his jawline; provoking her to give in under his intention to transforming sparing in serious fighting had worked but now he'd have to land a punch on her again which could be a little difficult. Equality or higher scores on her part wouldn't quite put well with his pride and principles.

"Don't bother, I'm going to finish with you." He grins, more like a snarl, whilst eyeing her.

"First to hit the ground loses."

"You have a deal." Akemi snaps her fingers with a hard stare, accepting his terms. Pausing to prepare in a leap, she sprung at him with doubled determination.

If earlier the two were a colliding pair of blurrs, the image went to a whole new level. Both maneuvered their limbs faster and their blows swishing harder, relentlessly. Increasingly, the sun above the trees rose more and more signaling the development of morning and with it they crossed paths within mad endurance and fury, completely unable to keep count of how many punches they dealt each other as well as--

A sudden rustling of leafs caused Akemi's engrossed persona to advert her gaze torwards the noise, giving Sasuke a good chance to outstand her, unconsciously.

"Why, you--!" She lands back flat on the ground after he drove the heel of his sandal in the joint of her leg, pushing her off her feet at breakneck speed over a rock he made her trip onto, all in that semi fragment of second she lost to glance elsewhere.

"I win." Sasuke smirks, looming over her fallen form. He, like her, was panting from the physical exercise they've just done.

"No, you didn't!" She yells, seething, her hand racing for the pocket attached to her shorts on her thigh. Sliping her fingers to grasp on to senbon needles, the red haired girl didn't think twice before throwing them at the retreating silhouette of the Uchiha, the thin pins wheezing thru air ready to stab in--

A kunai flew between them at perfect timing, deflecting the senbon at its last moment of attack, the tips of the needles lodging themselves through a tree. She took awhile to process what just happened and the instant Akemi scrambled to stand up a figure jumped in front of her, separating the Hakai from Sasuke.

"That is enough. You two agreed to spar, not battle." The stranger reminds, his extremly calm yet seemingly emotionless and strong gaze traveling from Akemi to Sasuke. This male wore the standard ANBU outfit and his long hair was pulled in a low ponytail, bangs framing his face although that wasn't all. He looked similar to Sasuke tho different in his own aspect.

"What are you doing here, nii-san?" Sasuke spoke, revealing his relation to the man. Akemi understood this is his brother.

"Wait- you watched our sparing session?" She questions.

"I did. " his smoothly firm voice echoes in silence. "As for you, Sasuke, I am here to take you back. Lady Tsunade has returned and an important meeting is to take place. Seeing as you were taking too long I was sent to find and retrive you."

"I see." came the younger's bland response, picking his sword up and joining his brother.

"By the way, this is Akemi Hakai."

"I am aware." He looks back at the girl, nodding. "It would be wise if you also go home, Akemi-san. Your village is searching for you as we speak."

"Oh- allright." She furrows her eyebrows, wondering what can be the importance of such interference. "Thanks for telling me...?" her sentence remains hanging, indicating the lack of knowledge upon his name.

"Itachi."

"Itachi-san." She finishes, nodding. "I'll take my leave." Akemi walks off, purposefully passing by Sasuke with her shoulder bumping into his, a cold glare piercing him. She was furious for he used a moment in which she had not payed attention to their quarell to cut the fight short and eliminate her attempts to win.

Wind blew over her face as the young female ran through the forest, pumping chakra into her legs. She could think about Sasuke later, the matter at hands could not wait.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I know something's wrong."

"You do?"

"Just spill it, Itachi. You can hide from others but I'm no fool."

"I never claimed you were." The male smirks faintly, slowing down once they were by Konoha's gates.

"It is but a mere feeling. A bad feeling."

"Tell me." Sasuke presses on.

"This meeting..." the older Uchiha trails off, his vision trained in the distance.

"I believe the Volcano Nation shogun is conspiring something by using Konohagakure and Akegakure."

"...using Konohagakure and Akegakure?"

"Did you really think the Kazan chose the villages for such petty occasion such as demonstrations, Sasuke?"

"Well, yes. Is there anything I'm missing?"

"There are no evidences...however, I do think this will mark a major disaster."

"Why?"

"The Kazan must seek to orchestrate a war. He's using us, the villages, to turn against each other through rivalry. And when that happens...the actual war will begin. The Volcano Nation will strike in the midst of the village's confrontations for it is easier to overwhelm two enemies at once when they are fighting against each other, thusly exposed to vulnerability from unsuspected circumstances."

Sasuke opened his mouth to disagree and argue, stoping in his tracks. Nonetheless, nothing slipped his mouth. At first he thought Itachi was acting weird, too talkative and tormented unlike his usual demeanor; on closer inspection, despite wanting to tell the other Uchiha that a hunch - his gut feeling, instincts or whatever - would turn out untrue, he realized he couldn't do that. This was Itachi Uchiha, the man whose words are almost one hundred percent accurate in most cases and someone who can detect even the slightest traces of hidden details and future events. Besides, what Toshina Ryuuzen said yesterday played a big role in his thoughts, which could point out that Itachi may be indeed right.

Did Akemi knew this? Probably not. He didn't care yet Sasuke envisioned himself at war with her. Fighting for their villages, the same villages regarding them with distaste. And for what? To be back stabbed by outside forces and attacked whilst they try to kill each other. Now, that was interesting...or maybe not.


End file.
